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Otto Warmbier, American student recently released from North Korea, has died

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Updated: 8:26 PM MDT Jun 19, 2017

Otto Warmbier, American student recently released from North Korea, has died

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Updated: 8:26 PM MDT Jun 19, 2017

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Otto Warmbier, American student recently released from North Korea, has died

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Updated: 8:26 PM MDT Jun 19, 2017

Days after his release from North Korea, Otto Warmbier has died, his family said.Warmbier died Monday afternoon at University of Cincinnati Medical Center surrounded by family members, his family said in a statement Monday afternoon.Warmbier, a 2013 graduate of Wyoming High School and Cincinnati native, was imprisoned by North Korea in January 2016.The 22-year-old was released six days ago, and was admitted to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.He was listed in stable condition, but family members described his status as "a state of unresponsive wakefulness."North Korean officials said Warmbier was in a coma, the result of botulism and a sleeping pill. However, several Cincinnati-area doctors said they doubted this claimA full statement from the Warmbier family reads: "It is our sad duty to report that our son, Otto Warmbier, has completed his journey home. Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20pm. It would be easy at a moment like this to focus on all that we lost – future time that won’t be spent with a warm, engaging, brilliant young man whose curiosity and enthusiasm for life knew no bounds. But we choose to focus on the time we were given to be with this remarkable person. You can tell from the outpouring of emotion from the communities that he touched – Wyoming, Ohio and the University of Virginia to name just two – that the love for Otto went well beyond his immediate family. We would like to thank the wonderful professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who did everything they could for Otto. Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today. When Otto returned to Cincinnati late on June 13th he was unable to speak, unable to see and unable to react to verbal commands. He looked very uncomfortable – almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed – he was at peace. He was home and we believe he could sense that. We thank everyone around the world who has kept him and our family in their thoughts and prayers. We are at peace and at home too. "When Warmbier returned to the United States on June 13, family members said he was unable to speak, see or react to verbal commands."He looked very uncomfortable, almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed – he was at peace. He was home and we believe he could sense that," family members said.Otto Warmbier was 21 when he was arrested in January 2016 for stealing a political banner, North Korean officials said. He was in the country with a China-based travel company called Young Pioneer Tours.He delivered a tearful, televised confession in March 2016, saying that he was bribed by a church member in Wyoming to steal the banner as a "trophy."Warmbier was a third-year student at the University of Virginia. He was a top student at Wyoming High School and was described as a skilled soccer player.

Days after his release from North Korea, Otto Warmbier has died, his family said.

Warmbier died Monday afternoon at University of Cincinnati Medical Center surrounded by family members, his family said in a statement Monday afternoon.

Warmbier, a 2013 graduate of Wyoming High School and Cincinnati native, was imprisoned by North Korea in January 2016.

The 22-year-old was released six days ago, and was admitted to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

He was listed in stable condition, but family members described his status as "a state of unresponsive wakefulness."

North Korean officials said Warmbier was in a coma, the result of botulism and a sleeping pill. However, several Cincinnati-area doctors said they doubted this claim

A full statement from the Warmbier family reads:

"It is our sad duty to report that our son, Otto Warmbier, has completed his journey home. Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20pm. It would be easy at a moment like this to focus on all that we lost – future time that won’t be spent with a warm, engaging, brilliant young man whose curiosity and enthusiasm for life knew no bounds. But we choose to focus on the time we were given to be with this remarkable person. You can tell from the outpouring of emotion from the communities that he touched – Wyoming, Ohio and the University of Virginia to name just two – that the love for Otto went well beyond his immediate family. We would like to thank the wonderful professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who did everything they could for Otto. Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today. When Otto returned to Cincinnati late on June 13th he was unable to speak, unable to see and unable to react to verbal commands. He looked very uncomfortable – almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed – he was at peace. He was home and we believe he could sense that. We thank everyone around the world who has kept him and our family in their thoughts and prayers. We are at peace and at home too. "

When Warmbier returned to the United States on June 13, family members said he was unable to speak, see or react to verbal commands.

"He looked very uncomfortable, almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed – he was at peace. He was home and we believe he could sense that," family members said.

Otto Warmbier was 21 when he was arrested in January 2016 for stealing a political banner, North Korean officials said. He was in the country with a China-based travel company called Young Pioneer Tours.

He delivered a tearful, televised confession in March 2016, saying that he was bribed by a church member in Wyoming to steal the banner as a "trophy."

Warmbier was a third-year student at the University of Virginia. He was a top student at Wyoming High School and was described as a skilled soccer player.